


The Destiny of a Jedi

by ELISE_ELEVEN



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Banter, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Friendship, Happy Ending, Headcanon, Jedi Training (Star Wars), One Shot, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, The Force, This is officially cannon now, luke's jedi academy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:34:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22107163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ELISE_ELEVEN/pseuds/ELISE_ELEVEN
Summary: “Where- where did he come from?” A familiarity has crossed over Skywalker’s features.“I don’t know.” Din replies, then pauses. “You know what he is then?”Grinning, Luke shakes his head in wonder. “I can’t say that I do. But I once knew someone who looked just like him.”Seven years after the events of the Mandalorian, nineteen years before The Force Awakens, Din Djarin finally finds the ones he's been searching for ever since he was tasked with returning the Child to his people.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Ben Solo, Luke Skywalker & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 20
Kudos: 153





	1. The Children

The Child is asleep. The cot is larger now, than the one he’s spent his first nights aboard this ship in, when he was still a target in the Bounty Hunter’s grasp, before he’d come to mean everything to the callous Mandalorian. Din Djarin turns a little in his seat, observing the sleeping form and the two little, green ears peeking out the top. After taking a long look, Din turns and relaxes in the pilot seat. It’s been just over seven years since he’d first laid eyes on the little one. And his life hasn’t been the same since. 

“Just a little longer”, he whispers, “we’ll be there soon.” 

The sky is white. Though the sun has already risen, the smoky cloud cover hides it from the planet’s surface, as they approach. Bursting through the last layer of mist, the Mandalorian can finally see the what type of planet this is. Very green; with glens and hills, scattered with patches of thin forest. It’s beautiful, he thinks. If there was ever a place where he’d expect to find people like the ones he’s been searching for, this is it. 

A huge lake sits nestled at the end of a shallow valley. Din heads straight for it, being given specific instructions. He wouldn’t want the people who live below to mistake him for an enemy and yank them out of the sky with their mystic powers. If the Child can lift a huge Mudhorn into the air, what must a full-grown Sorcerer be able to do?

Dipping over the surface of the lake, Din finally catches sight of the large, domed building, shining in the dull sunlight; surrounded by several smaller structures that made of much cruder material. There doesn’t seem to be anyone walking about outside. Maybe they’re all still asleep. 

“Alright, come on, you.” Din sighs, leaning over to gently pat the little one on the back. “Wake up. We’re here.” Two big, dark eyes blink; and then once more. Then the Child yawns. Grinning under his helmet, the Mandalorian reaches into the cot to scoop him up, hauling him into his lap as Din initiates the landing gear and guides them safely to the ground in a clearing beside the dark surface of the lake. 

The clouds are just lifting when he strides into the camp. The world is covered in dew, sparkles in the sunlight that reflects off the lake in the distance. The Child can walk well enough on his own, but Din carries the little one against his shoulder, feeling suddenly defensive of this place. He’s doing this for the kid’s own good; that’s what he keeps telling himself. But still, he keeps his other hand close to his blaster. 

Many small huts form a clustered ring around the larger temple. And as Din passes through them, his gaze flits diligently between them. One of these Sorcerers could rush out and attack them with their powers at any moment. 

Suddenly, something catches his attention- not in one of the huts, but from above on the top of a ledge on the craggy side of a hill. A man wearing white robes stands sits upon a rock, cross-legged. Pausing, he is about to call out to him, when he notices the man has his eyes closed and he is not sitting, but hovering above the rock. The Mandalorian is still starring when the face of a young boy peeks out over the side of the ledge. Din can’t hear what he’s saying, but when the boy puts his hand on the older man’s arm, he drops to the rock and locks eyes with Din. It’s like he isn’t even wearing the helmet at all. 

A few moments later, the man and the boy have come down the path down the side on the hill to meet their guest. The man has a kind face, but he has a weapon- a lightsaber- at his belt. Din doesn’t relax his shooting hand. 

“Welcome. I’m Luke Skywalker.” The man- Luke- extends his hand, and after a long pause, Din takes it. After a curt shake, he returns it to his belt.  


“Hello. Are you the leader of the Jedi?” The Mandalorian takes no time getting to the point. 

Luke Skywalker’s mouth quirks. “I wouldn’t say that.” He glances down at the boy at his elbow. “But I am the Jedi Master here and this is my school. How can I help you?” 

Din hasn’t missed the way both strangers have been eyeing the bundle in his arms. So slowly, pressing his lips together, he turns the Child so that they can see him. “This is my… foundling. He has been in my care for many years now. But the kid has… powers- strange powers, that I don’t understand. I was charged to bring him to his own kind, to be trained.” 

When he looks up, Luke Skywalker is starring at the Child like he’s never seen another living creature before. Meanwhile, the young boy stares in awe. Stretching on his tiptoes, he leans forward to get a better look. And when the Child reaches a hand toward him, the boy takes it and grins. 

“Where- where did he come from?” A familiarity has crossed over Skywalker’s features. 

“I don’t know.” Din replies, then pauses. “You know what he is then?” 

Grinning, he shakes his head. “I can’t say that I do. No. But I knew someone who looked just like him once.” The little one turns his big eyes on the Jedi, and Luke’s leans close in wonder. “Master Yoda.”

“Master Yoda!?” The boy suddenly cries, whirling around to face Skywalker. “Really? Master Yoda looked like this?!” The man narrows his eyes at him, but then nods. 

“Yes. He did.” 

“Was he a Jedi too”, Din asks, suddenly curious. 

“Oh yes. The greatest one I ever knew.” 

The Child is still clinging to the boy’s hand, grinning when the boy shows him his teeth. “What’s his name?” The boy asks, finally addressing the Mandalorian for the first time. He’s got quite a head of black hair. His eyes are dark, clever and mischievous. He can only be about ten or eleven, but somehow, he seems even older; like he’s seen things no one his age ever should. 

“He doesn’t have a name.” Din says simply. “I just call him the Child.” 

The boy looks visibly confused. “What!? How can someone not have a name?!” Luke places a hand on the boy’s head, but Din doesn’t really mind.  


“Well… When the Child came to be in my… care, he didn’t have one. I didn’t know who his people were, or where he came from. I didn’t feel comfortable just giving him a name. Names are important. They define who we are, what we choose to be. I didn’t want to give him one he’d regret.” 

“Oh.” They boy looks thoughtful now. He chews his lip, scrunching his brows together. 

After observing him a moment, Din asks; “What’s your name?” 

“My apologies.” The Jedi Master cuts in hurriedly. He places a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “This is my nephew, Ben.” 

“Ben Solo.” The kid grins, extending a hand to the larger man. 

For the first time, the Mandalorian relaxes a little. Bending down, he places the Child on the ground, then squats so that he’s level with Ben, taking his hand in a firm shake. “Din Djarin. You can call me Mando if you like.” Ben hasn’t stopped grinning. 

“You’re a Mandalorian, aren’t you? That’s really cool.” 

“Thanks. I think so too.” Then he looks up, address the Jedi. “You’re the boy’s uncle?” But before he can respond, Ben is pipping up. 

“Yeah. He’s also my Jedi Master. He’s teaching me to use a lightsaber!” Din can’t help grinning under his mask. “But my dad taught me how to use a blaster!”

“Your Dad? Ben Solo? As in Han Solo? The smuggler…”

“The Rebellion General, actually”, Luke corrects. 

“The Pilot! He’s a pilot. The best pilot in the best pilot in the Galaxy!” The boy’s smirk is infectious. The Child is smiling up at him, transfixed. Luke gazes down at him fondly. 

Din stands, stretches his legs. His blaster is forgotten. “The best huh? I’m not so sure about that. I’d like to race him sometime; see who’s really the best.” 

“Oh yeah. That’d be awesome! My dad loves Mandalorians. He’s always talking about them.” Tugging at the leg of Din’s trousers, the Child reaches up. In response, Din reaches into his satchel and pulls out a snack and hands it to the little one, who begins wandering around in the grass as he munches.

Din hesitantly glances up at the Jedi Master, then back at the boy. “And… your mother?” 

Ben sighs. “Oh, she’s a New Republic Senator. She’s very important, and very busy.” There’s a sarcastic tone to the boy’s voice, but there’s an edge to it too. It makes Din wonder. His father; a smuggler, a general, and a pilot. His mother; a senator born of an important lineage. And his uncle is THE Jedi Master. That’s a lot weight on one boy’s small shoulders. Gazing down into Ben’s face, Din thinks he catches just a glimpse of the man he’ll be come. This boy going to go on to do important things someday. And if there’s a chance the Child could turn out like Ben, confident and intelligent, maybe Din can bare to leave him here, in this care of these people. 

“And what about you? What do you want to be?”

“I want to be a pilot!” Mando doesn’t miss how his whole face lights up. “I’ll be even better than my dad… I uh, I mean…” Master Luke is frowning at his apprentice. “I mean I’m- I’m training to be a Jedi. I’m gonna be a Jedi.” 

“My nephew is very strong with the Force, even stronger than I was when I was his age. Why, I remember-.” Luke is explaining something, but Din isn’t listening. His eyes are focused on Ben, who has lost interest and wandered over to watch the Child, who is playing with some leaves. Why did he almost look disappointed when he said he was going be a Jedi? 

Kneeling down beside the Child, Ben then glances up at the Mandalorian. “Can he talk?”

“Only a little.” 

“How old is he?” Ben takes his own leaf and twirls it in the air. 

Sighing loudly, Din cocks his head. “Oh, I’d say he’s about fifty-seven now.” 

Ben’s jaw falls nearly to his chest. It makes Din laugh in a way he hadn’t in a long while. Luke Skywalker looks surprised, but not nearly as much as his nephew. “Fifty! He’s way older than I am! I thought he was a baby!” 

“He doesn’t age at the same rate as humans do.” Din watches a little longer, as Ben becomes absorbed in playing with the Child. But when Luke pats him on the elbow and motions for him to follow, Din does; right up the side on the hill, to the rock where the Jedi had been meditating. 

“I think we should talk.” Luke says. Mando Agrees. Sitting together on the rock, the look out over the valley and the buildings below. The students have woken up. They wander across the lawn, in ones and twos, or in packs. There aren’t just children here. Several adults supervise lightsaber practice outside the temple. 

Luke is the one to break the silence. “You said the child has no name. Is that correct?”

“Yes”, Din replies. “He is my foundling; and to my people, is like my own son now. But I just never could bring myself to name him.”

“Hmmm.” Biting his lip, the Jedi gazes down at the children in concentration. Then he glances over, curious. “What is your family name, Mando?”

“Djarin. That’s the name of our clan. We are a clan of two.”

When Din looks over, there’s a glint in Skywalker’s eye. “Well, we can’t keep calling him the Child. There are a lot of children here.” He smirks. Luke Skywalker thinks he’s funny, doesn’t he? “Is it alright if we just call him Djarin; after his… clan?” 

After thinking it over, Din begins to slowly nod. “Yes”, he agrees. “This is the way.” 

… 

After a while of discussion and negotiations, the Mandalorian and Luke Skywalker finally have an understand. The Child will stay here. He will learn to be a Jedi. But Din will still look after him; he’ll visit often. 

Ben Solo startles them both by peeking up over the edge of the hill. It seems he’s grown tired of entertaining the Child by making rocks and sticks float in the air. “Uncle Luke”, he mutters. “I’m hungry. Everyone has already eaten. Can we go back to the temple now?” 

Groaning, the Master rises from the ground and dusts off the dirt. “Alright. Let me go down and ask if they can whip something together for us. Then you can come down and bring Mando here and Djarin with you.” 

Din watches as Luke descends the pathway and makes his way toward the temple, students waving and calling out to him all the way. Young Ben Solo climbs up onto the rock beside him. For a while, they sit quietly, but when Mando turns his head, he finds the boy starring at him. His gaze is piercing. Then, it shocks Din more than anything ever has in his life when Ben says; “I know what you look like behind that mask.” 

Jerking back, Din feels his mouth fall open beneath the helm. He stares in stunned silence. Forgetting he can’t be seen, he forces his jaw to retract and smooths over his expression. “No, you don’t.”

The boy’s lips curl. “Yes. I do. Through the Force… So, does he.” And when Din follows Ben’s gaze, it falls on the Child below. 

“Oh…” He doesn’t know what to say. The Child knows what he looks like. It’s an upsetting revelation. “That sort of defeats the purpose.” He says, finally. “I wear it because that is the way of my people. Once we put it on, we can’t ever take it off in front of another living creature." 

“That’s ok.” Ben is already swinging his legs over the side of the rock, getting up to follow his uncle. “I think masks are cool anyway.” Then he’s racing down and hoisting the Child into his arms. “Come on”, he calls, heading in the direction of the temple. He doesn’t look back. 

… 

The hallway is quiet and dark. Djarin likes it here; the way the evening light seeps in through the narrow windows, making shadows of the great stone pillars that hold the temple’s roof aloft. Everyone has already gone to dinner. It had been a long day of lessons and training, and the students were anxious from the savory smells wafting up from the dining hall. But Djarin had stayed behind, large eyes fixed on the closed door at the end of the hall. 

Leaning on the railing that overlooks the entrance room on the ground floor, Djarin hums to himself. Tapping with his clawed hand, he counts out a rhythm, enjoying the way the shadow of his hand casts an even darker in the shadow of the pillar. He is startled when the door opens with a bang. When he turns, he sees a tall, lean young man standing in the hall. His feet are set apart, his fists clenched and shaking. 

“Ben.” His dark hair hangs over his face like a veil, obscuring his grimace from view, but at the sound of Djarin’s voice, Ben whips his gaze round. Djarin’s hand falls nervously to his side. Ben looks angry; angrier than the child has ever seen him. 

“What are you still doing here?” Ben’s voice is dark and horse. 

“Waiting for you, I was.” Djarin’s voice sounds so small in this empty space. Ben is big. He has always been bigger than Djarin- everyone is- but now, with his chest heaving and muscles tensed, he seems like a giant. 

When Ben speaks again, his voice isn’t any more tender, but it is quieter. “You should go to dinner.” 

“Are you not coming?” 

“No. I need to go for a walk.” Ben starts to leave down the hallway, past Djarin, but the boy hurries to keep up. His little feet and legs are no match for the young man’s angry stride. 

“Ben, what is wrong?” 

Ben’s huff is the loudest sound in the corridor. “Master Luke.”

“Ahhh. When Master Luke, is it not.” Ben has slowed his strides just enough for the smaller boy to keep up. Smirking darkly, he glances down at Djarin and gives him an appreciative look. 

“You said it.” 

Ben and Master Skywalker have had many fights in the last few months, but Djarin has never seen him this rattled. It must have been something really bad this time. “What happened?” 

The boy immediately knows something is very wrong when Ben won’t look at him. He shakes his head. His lips quiver; as if they’re about to burst with a sob… or maybe a scream.

“Nothing… It’s just, he’s been watching me constantly. Its driving me crazy!” Ben runs a hand through his dark locks. “Everywhere I turn, he’s there. It’s as he’s just waiting for me to mess up, to get me in trouble… punish me in front of the entire school, just to prove that he’s still in charge.” 

Biting at his lip, Djarin glances down at his hands. Normally he would take Ben’s side without a second thought, but… “Sneak out of camp, you did”, he says carefully. “Almost every night this week.” Again, Ben doesn’t look at him.

“So? It’s not as if I went to meet a girl or anything like that. I just went for a walk. I needed to get out.”

“Meet a girl, you didn’t?” Djarin knows he didn’t, but he’ll do anything to lighten his friend’s mood. The darkness in his voice is starting to scare him.  


“No.” Chuckling, Ben shakes his head tiredly. Sighs. “I’m not interested in any of them.”

“Interested in you, they are…”

“Well, I don’t care. They only like me for my family. Because I’m Luke’s “favorite student”.” He bends two fingers on each hand with exaggeration; in a gesture that makes Djarin burst out laughing. “I’m the son of Princess Leia Organa, so I must be cool.” 

Ben turns around to face him for the first time, walking backwards, his face showing all the earnestness that comes with everything Ben Solo does. “I want someone who doesn’t come from anywhere important. Someone who doesn’t know where I come from; someone who will like me for who I am, not who my parents used to be. It’s so stupid!” He bangs his fist against the wall as he turns round to start down the long staircase. “I’m never gonna find anyone here! None of them understand.” 

“Understand, do I, Ben?” Ben has just reached the bottom step when Djarin’s voice halts him. The boy can’t keep the quiver of emotion from his voice.  


Hanging his head, Ben waits, breathing softly. Then slowly, he lifts it, squares his shoulders.

“No… No one does.” 

And then he’s hurrying out into the dusk and dying light outside. Djarin just manages to catch the door before it swings shut. Peaking through the gap, he watches Ben march away. He wants to call out, to run and catch up- he doesn’t want Ben to be alone. But he doesn’t move; and quickly disappearing into the semi-darkness, his friend doesn’t look back. 

… 

“Dad.” A burst of static from the radio. “Dad!” 

Din Djarin startles awake. Form the other corner of the room, the radio continues to hiss and with white noise. “Dad.” The Mandalorian jumps up from his cot, stumbles to the console in the corner. 

“Djarin? Are you there? Can you hear me.”

“Dad…” The little one’s voice is full of terror. He’s sobbing. Din almost crushes the transponder in his panic, his whole boy tensing in fear.  


“I’m here, Son. What’s wrong? Are you alright?” 

More static. “Dad… I’m scared. The temple- it’s… on fire. Burning, it is!”

“What?” Din can’t believe his ears. This can’t be true! “What do you mean? What happened?”

The boy is sobbing again. It’s ugly; it rips through the man like the sharp point of a blade. “I- I do not know. Dad… Master Luke. Gone, he is, I think. Dead, he is.” 

Already patching the radio into his helmet, Din scrambles around in the dark, searching for all the weapons he can get his hands on. “No. Surely not.” The Mandalorian doesn’t bother putting on his armor. He can run much easier this way. “Where are you? Are you safe?” 

“I’m hiding.” The child replies. “Collapsed, the hut did. But saved the radio, I did.” Din has reached his ship now, is racing up the ramp. 

“Don’t move. Stay there, and don’t let anyone find you. I’m coming, son.” 

“Master Luke. He’s gone.” 

Din wants to shut down at the pain in his boy’s voice. But he can’t afford to do anything so foolish. “What happened? Who did this?” 

“I… don’t know. See outside, I can. Ben; he’s out there. He is shouting.” Djarin swallows. “The other masters are there too. Yelling, they are.” 

After a long pause, the Mandalorian takes a deep breath. “Are you saying Ben did this?” 

More sobbing. Static on the line. “No. He could not. He would not.” A realization comes to the child. “Feel him, I can. Scared, he is too. Confused. Hurt. He did not want this…” 

“It’s alright, Son. I’m almost there. If you can do it without being seen; sneak around to the top of the hill. I’ll meet there you soon.”

“I- do not want to leave him.” Din’s heart breaks for both boys then. 

“But you must.” 

Later, the child cradled in his arms, Din climbs back inside the ship. The boy whimpers against his shirt front, burying his face in the large man’s chest. In the distance, the temple is burning. The kid was right. It’s like a great torch, flames leaping off the highest tower hundreds of feet into the air. It reflects on the windows of the cockpit, lighting the inside with warmth. 

Ever since the moment he had scooped Djarin into his arms and ran with him back to the ship, the kid kept his face hidden from the sight. But finally, now safely inside, he lifts his face toward the horrible sight. The flames dance in the blackness of his eyes. Din wants to tell him to close them, not to look. But neither of them can look away. 

Even as they’re rising into the air, they watch the place the boy had called home for so many years go up in smoke. Din wonders if there are any survivors. Even if there are, he thinks; they won’t last long. Is Ben still alive? Did he really do this? 

“Master Luke”, Djarin whimpers. 

“Are you sure he’s dead? Did you see him?” 

Eyes still fixed in horrific fascination; the kid is quiet a moment. “Sure, I am.” He mutters. “I cannot feel him.”

“Feel him?”

“Through the force, I feel many things. Even when you are not here, feel you, I do. Feel Ben, I can; just as I could feel him.” The next sentence tumbles out in a sob. “I cannot feel him anymore.”

So, it’s true. Luke Skywalker is gone. The temple, the Jedi; they’re all gone. And Ben Solo… he may as well be gone too. This is the end. Din had never dreamed that when he dropped Djarin off here, all those years ago, that this would be how they’d leave it.

They’re high above the planet’s surface, now, ready to jump to lightspeed. But he doesn’t. The ships hovers peacefully above the place where the school is still blazing; a dot of light on a sphere of darkness. 

“Now, what do we do?” The boy whispers against Mando’s shirt, his breath hot through the fabric.

“We’ll go home. You’ll stay with me; where you belong.”

Din gently rubs the back of his son’s head. Even as his head is falling forward and his eyes are drifting closed, Djarin asks; “But, who will teach me?”  


“I’ll teach you.” The Mandalorian’s hands fly across switches and buttons. “I’m no Jedi, but I know about surviving." 

“Ok… Dad.”

The smallest of smiles creeps across Din’s lips. As he leans his head against the seatback, he whispers in reply; “Ok”. Then they jump to lightspeed, and they don’t look back.


	2. Epilogue

Empty. This one is empty too. All empty. Rey screws the lid back on the top of the moisture collector. It’s the fourth one she’s checked today, and they’re all dry as a bone, empty as the rest of the Tatooine wasteland. 

Dusting her hands off on her brown trousers, she rises from the sand and gathers up her bag and staff. There are two other collectors on this side of the ridge. If she’s lucky, she’ll be able to check them by nightfall. She doesn’t have a speeder, hasn’t had the time to go in to Toshe Station and pick one up, but she enjoys the walk. With nothing else to fill her days, it’s nice to stretch her legs. Though the air and sand are almost unbearable during the daytime, the hours between sunset and dark, and between sunrise and its peak, are cool; refreshing. There’s clarity in the light of a dying sun. 

Lightsaber bouncing at her hip, Rey hurries up and over the rise. There’s a thin mist on the plain up here, from the brief rain earlier in the afternoon. It makes it hard to see through the near darkness. She arrives at the next collection tank a few moments later and kneels down in the sand to wrench the thing open. But suddenly she pauses. She senses something… in the force. Lifting her head, she squints off in the opposite direction. 

Is that a shadow? Something small- a creature? Its shape moves steadily forward from the wall of mist. Frowning, Rey strains her eyes to try to make out what the thing is. Though standing on two legs, it can’t be any taller than her waist. 

Rising cautiously, she reaches for her staff, but then stops herself. This is not threat. She can feel this creature through the Force. A strange anticipation humming in her veins, she watches it approach. 

And it’s not a creature. It’s a child; a young boy, maybe nine or ten years old. But he’s not like any child she’s ever seen. With wrinkly green skin and white hair, and pointy ears that poke out from the side of his head, he looks like none of the species she’s ever encountered. 

When he’s about half a yard away, he stops. The two stare each other down. Licking her lips, Rey is about to ask what he’s doing here; she knows he’s not lost. But before she can, he lifts a clawed hand in greeting. 

“Rey?” 

Her mouth falls open. But she quickly closes it again, uncertain. “Yes. How do you know who I am?”

“Mmmm.” He sounds almost amused. His voice is high and croaky; like a frog. “Know much, I do. Strong with the Force, you are.” He doesn’t ask it like a question. “So am I.” 

“Yes”, Rey agrees, “I can sense it.” It’s a Force signature stronger than any she’s felt since… since… Unconsciously, her hand drifts to the bag beside her, to the dark wad of fabric she can’t bring herself to leave behind. The child’s eyes follow her movement, searches her face. 

“Something is wrong?” 

“It’s just… someone- someone I cared for very much is gone. I miss him.” Rey flinches inwardly. She sounds so pathetic. “I’m sorry.” 

The boy’s little green mouth quirks a little, but his large eyes are full of sympathy. “Ask his name, may I?” 

“His name…” Rey feels her heart twist painfully. Ben. Last night she’d screamed it from the top of the hut, sobbing and clutching her hands into fists, shaking them at the huge empty sky. It didn’t matter how loud she yelled; there was no one out there to hear. And there was no reply. 

“Ben. His name was Ben Solo, and he saved the galaxy…” Her voice breaks then. “He saved me.” 

“Mmmm.” He gives a small smile. “Always said he would do great things, my father did.” 

“You’re father? What are you talking about?”

“Knew him, I did.” The boy chuckles lightly, a strange sound to her raging grief. “Mmmm, Ben Solo. Yes. Have a message from him, I do.” 

Rey just stares at him- this strange boy who appeared out of nowhere. The tears streaking down her cheeks are forgotten. “You can’t possibly. Don’t you know he’s- he’s…” 

“Dead, yes. So, you said.” The little green bugger is smiling now, a glint in his eyes. 

No. No! Don’t do this. Don’t you dare give me hope. But still, it blooms somewhere deep inside, a crevasse in her soul where HE used to live. She speaks very slowly. “What do you mean?” 

“Comes for everyone eventually, death does. But not Ben Solo. Not yet.” 

Clenching her fists, she steps closer. She can’t keep her heart from fluttering with cautious joy. “He’s alive?” She whispers. And when the little green boy nods, Rey nearly faints with relief. But then she’s rushing forward. “Where is he? Is he alright?” 

“When the Force and the entities therein returned him to the world of the living, take him to the wrong place, they did. Sent him to our old Jedi school, a second home after he was sent away. After Father retired, moved to that planet, we did. Surprised, we were to see Ben. Appeared out of nowhere; wearing nothing.” He chuckles childishly at that. 

Rey frowns. “Did you say; your Jedi school?” 

“Explain everything on the way, I will.” He reaches up to take her hand and begins leading her back the way he’d come, through the mist. 

“On the way?” Her heart suddenly sinks. “He isn’t here?!”

“Very week, he is. It took almost all his energy to return. Best not to move him. But, do not worry. Take you to him, Father and I will.” Just beyond the mist, there’s a small ship parked on the sand. Rey squints and then notices there’s a menacing figure standing beside it, dressed in full armor. Her hand falls carefully to the saber at her belt, but then the strange man raises a hand in welcome, and Rey relaxes. 

“You must be Rey”, the man says. He’s even got a helmet on. Not a scrap of skin is showing. 

“You’re- you’re a…” 

“A Mandalorian, yes.” He deftly turns and starts up the ship’s ramp, into the dark interior. “Ben told us a lot about you.”

Pausing before stepping onto the ramp, Rey glances up. “Really?” It’s silly; the strange thrill she feels. The Mandalorian pokes his head from the opening and motions for the child to bring her inside. 

“He talks in his sleep.”

“Oh.” 

As Tatooine fades from view out the window of the ship, Rey can’t lie; it feels good to watch it disappear. She prays she’ll never have cause to see another dessert planet ever again. 

…

The Lake glimmers like a million little suns. The Mandalorian and Djarin are guiding her through glens of white-leafed trees, a brook singing alongside the narrow path that has been stamped into the ground. She’s trying to admire the scenery- she’d missed so much green- and ignore her racing, fluttering heart. Then she stops short. Her face breaks into a smile so wide it nearly hurts, simultaneously squeezing tears from both eyes. 

And then she doesn’t need them to guide her any longer. She knows exactly where she’s going. Because, she can feel HIM! 

Ben

The tracks of her tears are cold in the wind as she runs. Though sprinting through piles of charred rubble, she barely notices the ruins of the old Jedi temple. She can’t breathe. And she doesn’t want to, a laugh and a sob escaping her panting lips. And then, up ahead, there’s a small building made of stone and metal. 

Rey stumbles to a halt. Her eyes are fixed on the door for an eternity of a heartbeat. Is he behind it? Could he really be here, just within reach? But then, its swinging open and a large, familiar frame is filling the doorway. 

They lock eyes. 

Rey can’t move. She can’t breathe. He’s week and unsteady, leaning on the doorframe; but he’s the most beautiful sight she’s ever seen. She doesn’t want to ever look away, not even to blink. And then, one desperate, broken, beautiful word escapes his quivering lips in a sob. 

“Rey” 

Then she does blink, and the next thing she knows; she’s in his arms. His face is pressed into her hair, his tears paining her ear and neck. He’s solid, real beneath her fingertips, and she’s probably gripping too tightly. Well too bad; she’s never letting go. Sobbing his name into his neck, she relishes the warmth as her lips brush against the sensitive skin she thought she’d never feel again. 

Suddenly, he’s tipping backwards. He can’t support her any longer. That’s alright, she thinks; it’s her turn. They crash to the ground, but Rey cradles his head to her chest, then scrambles behind him to help him to sit against her. Their gazes lock again. There’s hair everywhere; his hair, hers. Neither could be bothered to care. Leaning in to the gravity that has always pulled them to each other- even when, especially when they didn’t want it- she kisses the tears from his cheek, following the trails down to his lips. 

This time, their kiss lasts longer than just a moment. And it’s even better this time; somehow made sweeter by the tears mixing on their lips. Then Rey pulls back just enough to breath his name, “Ben”, before diving back in. 

“Ahemmm.” The sound of someone clearing their throat suddenly brings them out of it. The Mandalorian is a dark shadow in the doorway, with the much smaller one of Djarin’s, as he peaks around his father’s hip. Crossing his arms, Mando clears his throat again. “Are we interrupting something?”   
Ben’s dimples make an appearance when grins up at his old friend. “Actually, yes.” And with a flick of his fingers, the door slams in Din’s face. 

Arms still crossed, he stays there for a long moment, before turning to his son. “I can’t believe after all these years with you, I’m still not over that.” He mutters, an exasperated sigh. “Don’t ever get a girlfriend, ok?” 

Djarin grins. “Ok, Dad.” 

Inside the house, Ben smooths at the hair out of Rey’s face. He’s gazing at her like the gift of life returned to his body is nothing compared to the gift of getting to hold her in this moment. She hopes he’ll hold her forever. Ben grins when he has to take her face in both his hands to get her to stop trying to kiss every part of his face. 

“I thought you were gone forever.” She whispers.

“No way.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Eyelashes tickling his cheek as she kisses one of his dimples. “You came back. You came…”

“…home.” His smile is a hot, pure joy against her lips. 

“We are home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did this just start out as a one-shot about Ben and Baby Yoda being friends at Luke's Jedi Academy?Yes. But could I not resist bringing it full circle to a TROS fix-it? The answer is also yes.   
> I regret nothing! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed. If you did or you had any thoughts, please let me know.

**Author's Note:**

> Fact: Baby Yoda and Ben Solo would have been best friends at Luke's Academy.  
> Fact Numero Dos: If Baby Yoda had found out what Luke did to Ben, he would have beat him up with a stick, just like Rey did.  
> Fact 3: There are just too many similarities between Ben and Baby Yoda to count. They would have been there for each other. He would understand Ben when no one did.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! Please share your thoughts! This is all cannon now and I will not be taking criticisms!  
> Also, Reylo is coming in the next and final chapter. Stay tuned.


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